The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, information processing method, service providing system and a computer program, and relates in particular to an information processing apparatus, information processing method, service providing system and a computer program to allow participation in a user community within a virtual space by a simple operation.
Along with the rapid growth of the Internet in recent years, users are finding online companions having the same hobby or objectives and exchanging information, etc. So-called community services are therefore thriving. In order to utilize such services, the user registers for example, his own user profile, interests, hobbies and photographs on a dedicated registration menu opened as web content on the Internet. The registered user can utilize a variety of services and enjoy communication with others. Services for carrying out this communication are the provided for example as mailing lists, BBS (Bulletin Board System), chatrooms, group web services and areas for making personal home pages.
Virtual space is also being provided as a service for carrying out communication. Virtual space is described for example as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) listing three-dimensional graphics data utilizing the World Wide Web framework on the Internet. Objects such as various shops and viewscapes, and one's own apparition (avatar) can be displayed in the virtual space by utilizing three-dimensional objects, etc. Avatars can carry out conversations with other avatars by conversations with printed characters (chat) or voices within the virtual space.
When the user becomes acquainted with members having the same interests or finds a community matching the user's own interests or hobbies, the user may participate in that community by becoming a member for example, by registering from a registration menu opened as web contents on the Internet or by making application to the community via a community controller (or manager) by utilizing electronic mail, etc.
When a user for example wants to invite another user he became acquainted with in the virtual space, to the community he participates in, or when a user is interested in a community of another user he met within the virtual space and wants to himself participate in that community, then, in order to join the new community the user must access the above described community registration menu, perform the registration tasks, and make application to participate by electronic mail, etc. In other words, the problem occurs that the user can not register in the community from within the virtual space.